Directors quit CDL hotel unit linked to billionaire Kwek family feud
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City Developments said in an April 22 filing that Ms Jennifer Duong Young, Mr Daniel Desbaillets and Ms Wong Ai Ai resigned.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
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SINGAPORE – Three directors have abruptly resigned from a hotel subsidiary controlled by one of Singapore’s wealthiest families, the latest twist in a corporate shake-up triggered by an internal feud.
City Developments said in an April 22 filing that Ms Jennifer Duong Young, Mr Daniel Desbaillets and Ms Wong Ai Ai resigned as directors of its Britain-incorporated unit, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels.
The three had served on the hotel unit’s board for just over a year, having been appointed under contentious circumstances. They were among six directors installed in February 2025 in a move widely seen as an attempt to dilute the influence of family patriarch Kwek Leng Beng, who also chairs the parent company.
Their appointment contributed to a rare public clash within the Kwek family, during which the patriarch accused his son and chief executive Sherman Kwek of orchestrating a boardroom coup. He also sued his son and other directors on City Developments’ board, including the three who have now resigned – although they remain as directors at the developer.
A spokesperson for the developer said in response to Bloomberg queries that the directors were appointed “to strengthen governance at a key subsidiary” and were stepping down “with this now largely addressed”. The company added that the changes will not affect ongoing operations or oversight of the unit.
The elder Kwek’s lawsuit was eventually dropped and he later reconciled with his son, though only after Ms Catherine Wu – a key adviser to the patriarch – left the hotel unit. The business operates numerous properties across the world, including The Biltmore Mayfair in London.
Mr Sherman Kwek and other board members within City Developments had grown unhappy about Ms Wu’s influence and wanted to curb it by reshaping the boards of the hotel unit and the parent firm.
The latest departures come at a critical time for the firm. Singapore’s buoyant property market has helped to drive a recovery in its share price, and the firm is set to announce the findings of a strategic review by mid-2026 as it seeks to rebuild investor confidence. Mr Sherman Kwek had earlier said that the developer’s board and management are not under review. BLOOMBERG
